Hi everyone,

This is Katie Brady and I come to you with a heavy and humble heart. On October 30th, my dad, Joe, had a traumatic accident and fell down the steps in my childhood home. After arriving in Altoona via ambulance, it was quickly determined he needed specialized care and was rushed to UMPC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh PA. That is where we learned that he had broken his neck and 6 other vertebrae had either cracked or been crushed. He also had 2 small brain bleeds. The break in his neck caused a severe spinal cord injury (SCI) that had left him with almost no movement from the waist down. He underwent two surgeries to stabilize his neck in hopes that his spinal cord will heal. After 14 days in the Neuro ICU he was moved to the inpatient neuro spinal cord injury rehabilitation center at UMPC Mercy. Dad is now undergoing an intensive, long-term regimen of physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The path forward is uncertain: his specific type of SCI is very serious, and he is facing the potential reality of lifelong wheelchair dependence and 24/7 specialized care.

Our lives changed in an instant. My mom and I have been going back and forth from Huntingdon to Pittsburgh and it is a 2 and a half hour drive on a good day. It is critical for his recovery that we are there to be with him as much as possible. We want to keep his spirits up, focus on his recovery plan and be his biggest advocates and supporters. At this point we do not know what the next 3-12 months look like as we navigate this new reality but it will be very demanding for all three of us.

If you know my dad, you know how independent and hardworking he is and how much he loves his home, hobbies, and life in the woods. I would like to get him back to that, in some capacity. I’m setting up this GoFundMe to help ease some of the financial strain as we navigate this new normal as a family while we help dad with this long and unexpected journey.

In true Joe Brady form, the day before this accident he cut down several dead standing locust trees, put them through the wood splitter, loaded it into a truck and parked it in the driveway to unload the next day. Life had other plans, but his spirit of hard work endures.

Funds will go directly towards helping with these immediate and essential needs:

-Travel expenses for frequent and long-term hospital visits in Pittsburgh and time away from work

-Home accessibility modifications for wheelchair use to support Joe’s recovery and independence

-Medical bills and ongoing care for Joe

Positive healing thoughts are appreciated and anyone is welcome to reach out to me if you would like to support in any other way. Every bit of support—whether it’s a donation, a message of support, or a meal—means so much to us. We’re beyond grateful for the love and encouragement we’ve already received, and it’s what keeps us going right now.

With Love - Katie, Sue and Joe